Treatise of Divinity, Book 2 · Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
GOd is in himself, and in his own nature Immutable, Numb. 23. 19. 1 Sam. 15. 29.
Immutability, is that whereby any thing in its essence, existence or operation is unchangeable Gods unchangeablenesse is that, whereby God in his essence, properties, and decrees is unchangeable.
The Scripture proves the Immutabilitie of God, both affirmatively, Exod 3. 6. Psal. 102. 29. and negatively. Mal. 3. 16 Jam. 1. 17.
Immutability is twofold.
1. Independent and absolute, and that is onelyonly in God.
2 Dependent and Comparative; this may belong to some creatures, which they have from God, but yet infinitly different.
1. God is unchangeable originally and of himselfe, these from him.
2. In the manner, God is in his essence Immutable, that and his being are all one, therefore he is both potentially and actually so; the creatures are onelyonly actually.
3. God is so from eternity, they onelyonly from their first being.
All other things are subject to change and alteration; they may loose what they had, and attaine something which before they had not;Angels have an externall though no internall mutability. even the Immortall Spirits are thus mutable; they may fall into sinne, be annihilated; but in God there is no change; he is what he is, alwayes the same, voyd of all mutation, corruption, alteration, and locall motion, Psal. 90 2. and 102. 26. 27. 1 Tim. 1. 17. Psal. 110. 4. Heb. 1. 11. and 6. 2.
A reasonable creature may be changed five wayes.
1. In respect of existence, if it exist sometimes, and sometimes not.
2. In respect of place, if it be moved from one place to another.
3. In respect of accidents, if it be changed in quantity or quality.
4. In respect of the knowledge of the understanding, as if it now think that to be true, which before it judged to be false.
*Geth. loc. commune. Marim…us de Deo. & Wendelinus. Christ. 1 …el. l. 1. C. 1.5. In respect of the purpose of will, if it now decree to doe something, which before it decreed not to doe.
God is not changed any of these wayes.
Not the first,Psal. 120. 27. 28. because he is eternall, neither beginning nor ever ceasing to exist.
Not the second, because he is present every where, not newly beginning to exist in any place.
Not the third, because God is a Simple Essence, and there is no accident in him.
Not the fourth, because he is omniscient, and cannot be deceived in his knowledge.
Not the fifth, because he changeth not his decrees, since he most wisely decrees all things▪Heb 4. 13.
God is unchangeable every way.
1. In essence or being; he cannot be changed into another nature, neither can that nature which he hath, be corrupted and decay.
2. In essentiall properties; his mercy endureth for ever, he doth not love and after hate.
3. In his will and counsell; Psal. 33. 11. Rom. 11. 29. the counsell of the Lord shall stand, Prov. 19. 21.
4. In place, the Sunne runnes from one place to another, but God doth not remove from one place to another; but is alwayes where he was, and shall be always; viz. in himself.
5. In his word and promises,Matth. 5. 18. Isay 14. 24. 2 Cor. 1. 19. Rom. 4. 16.
Reasons.
1. From his perfection, all change is a kinde of imperfection; there is indeed a change corruptive, and perfective; but the perfective alteration, supposeth the Subject to be imperfect.
2. He is uncompounded, therefore altogether Immutable, a pure act.
3. He is truly and properly eternall, therefore Immutable; for he is truly eternall, who is alwayes the same, without beginning, change or end.
4. If God, should change, then either he must change for the better, and then he was not best and perfect before; or for the worse, and then he is not best now.
5 If he should be changed, it must be from some other thing stronger then himselfe, and there is none such. Nothing without him can change him, because he is omnipotent, and nothing within him, for there is no Ignorance in his minde, inconstancy in his will, nor impotency in his power.
Ob. God doth repent, Gen. 6. 6. 1 Sam. 15. 11 2 Sam. 24. 16. Psal. 135. 14. Jer. 26. 13. & 18. 8. to repent, imports a change.
Sol. God is not said properly to repent; but after the manner of*Cum nos paenitet, destruimus quod fecimus. Sic Deus paenituisse dicitur secundum similitudinem opera…ionis in quamum hominem quem fecerat, per diluvium à terrae facie delevit. Aquinas quaest. 19. Artic. 7. partis primae men, not affectivè but effectivè. God doth that which men use to doe when they repent, they forbeare to doe what they have done, and doe the contrary, change their actions; Gods repenting of the evill in those places, is a putting on a resolution not to do the evill he had threatened, or not to persist in doing that which he had begun to doe. There is a change in the creature, but no change in God either in respect of his nature or decree; therefore in other places it is said, he doth not repent; that is, not change or alter his minde. God wils *Mutat facta, non mutat confilia. August. Aliud est mutare voluntatem aliud velle mutationem Aquinas quaest. 19. Artic. Septimo partis primae.a change, but changeth not his will. The change is in us not God; as Houses and Trees seeme to move to them which are in a Ship, but the Ship moves and they stand firme, one may with the same will continuing immutable (saith Aquinas) will that now this thing be done, and after the contrary, but the will should be changed, if one began to will, what he willed not before.
Ob. God promiseth and threateneth some things which come not to passe.
*Jer. 18. 8. and 26. 2. 3.Those threatenings and promises were not absolute but conditionall; and how soever the condition was uncertaine in respect of men, yet it was most certaine in respect of God. His promises are made with condition of faith and obedience, Deut. 28. 13. and his threatenings with an exception of conversion and repentance, Psal. 7. 12.
Ob. God is reconciled with men, with whom he was offended before.
Sol. The object is changed, God is still the same; as the Sun which was troublesome to sore eyes is pleasant to them being healed, the Sunne here is not changed but their eyes.
Ob. Why are Prayers or meanes, if God be Immutable? why doe I pray or heare?
Sol. God Immutably wils both the end and the meanes, and therefore as he wils thy pardon, so he wils thy prayer.
Ob. God created the world, and so Christ was incarnate and made man; now he that was made something, he was not before, or did make something he made not before, seemes to be changed. He is a man, he was not so once; he is a Creator, he was not so from eternity.
Sol. Christ did onelyonly assume,Wenlelinus Christ. Theol. l. 1 c. 1. and take to himselfe an humane nature, he was not changed into it. Creation is nothing but Gods will from eternity, that the world should exist in time, so that the creature hath something now, which it had not before, but Gods will hath not.
God is not changed any way,C…osectaries from Gods Immutability though he change his actions according to his good pleasure.
1. This is terrible to wicked men, God is unchangeable which hath threatened to curse them, and bring destruction upon them;1 Sam. 15. 18. 19. they must change, or else there is no repealing of the curse. The wicked hope he will change, the godly feare he will change.
2. It comforts the godly, to whom he hath made many promises,Gods promises are faithfull and firme words. What good thing the Lord hath promised, what grace or priviledge (as Christians) any ever received, or succour found, the same may the faithfull looke for. Numb. 23. 23. Heb. 13. 5. He is constant and will perform them. He told Adam, that the Seed of the woman should breake the Serpents head. He was long, but sure, for it was fulfilled at the last. His Covenant is everlasting, Isay. 55. 3. I am God and change not, therefore you are not consumed. Mal. we should labour for Gods love, it is a free hold, and like himselfe immutable; whom he loves once, he loves for ever: Gods people shall never fall from grace, never be wholly overcome of temptations.
3. We should imitate Gods Immutability in a gracious way,Gal. 6. 9. … Tim. 3. 14. 1 Cor. 15. ult. Queene Elizabeths word was Semper eadem. be constant in our love to God and men, in our promises and good purposes, as the Martyr said. Rawlins you left me, and Rawlins you finde me, we should pray for the establishment of our faith and patience.
4. We should admire the glorious nature of God; for what an Infinite Glorious God must he be, which hath had all that happinesse and glory from eternity; 2. worship the true God, because he is Immutable, and we shall be so hereafter, being made most like to him, Psal. 102. 27.
5. It confutes the Eutichians, and Ubiquitaries which held, that the God-head became flesh; can a Spirit be a body, and both visible and invisible?